Table of Contents
By Alex Lauzon from the “Course of Life” podcast
A Royal Open
Just like that, we’ve arrived at the final major championship in men’s professional golf, and 2023 has brought a bevy of major headlines on and off the course. Rahm was a natural fit for his first green jacket, and then Koepka pronounced himself again on the world’s stage at Oak Hill in winning the PGA. Then, the Woj bomb that rocked the world of golf threw the shadow of all shadows over the U.S. Open in Los Angeles that was devoid of fans or noise, and won by Wyndham Clark. This week’s 151st playing of The Open represents the final shot at major championship glory on the 2023 calendar.
The links tune-up at the Genesis Scottish Open brought a dramatic finish where betting favorite Rory McIlroy won his first Scottish Open, stealing it away from hometown kid (and my pick) Robert MacIntyre. Last week we knocked on the door of another victory, this week we slam through it and finish the major championship betting season properly.
Royal Liverpool Returns
This year’s host course of golf’s oldest test is a somewhat familiar sight for golf fans, last hosting The Open in 2014. Rory McIlroy’s most recent major championship (crazy enough) came at Royal Liverpool, and it was also the host for an emotional Tiger Woods win here in 2006. The links track has played rather easy with the dormant wind in its past two host years, but recent changes have been made to the course including a brand new par 3 17th hole. With the course’s seaside location and the current forecast on hand, it seems they will finally ….
As predicted our field is fully loaded, and led in the odds books by Rory at +525, and the uber-consistent Scottie Scheffler at +750. Defending champion Cam Smith (+1500) continues his great play from 2022 on the LIV Tour in 2023, scoring a nice win as recently as two weeks ago in London to keep him in good form on that side of the pond. Off of good play recently, Rocket Mortgage Classic champion Rickie Fowler and perpetual runner-up Tommy Fleetwood are showing up high on the betting board as well.
Forecasting The Open Championship
Even with the wind playing its potential factor seaside, this has played on the easier end of Open rota venues and it should stay that way. The world’s best are hitting it longer and further than ever and I’m expecting somewhat of a birdie fest to break out. In recent years you desperately want to forecast intimate conditions into the scoring and strategy, but the adversity has been soft for recent renditions of The Open.
1. Who’s hot and trending – recent high finishes, top-10 streaks, and consistent play are never a bad thing.
2. Horses for courses – players love certain courses and course familiarity and experience are invaluable in a field of the world’s best.
3. What the numbers tell you this week – while I’m far from analytical, there’s always a tournament darling or two scattered across the golf talk stratosphere that stuns on paper.
4. Intangibles – while this allows for theater of the mind, there’s a mysterious optimism surrounding that feels “due” or if the price looks just right for buying.
The Genesis Scottish Open picks were absolutely dynamite with three players in the top 10 and Robert MacIntyre on the cusp of Scottish Open history…until Rory spoiled our party. Alas, it’s a B card for the week and I was nipping at the heels of victory all tournament long. It’s the perfect precursor to the final major on the calendar.
THE PICKS
(Wanna start a Pick-X pool with your friends? Learn more here! Or, if you’re looking to start your own PGA One-and-Done pool, check those out here) (Hint: the main difference between the two is how many players you’ll pick each week)
1: Tommy Fleetwood – While his odds are bloated this week, it’s impossible to ignore how due he is to win again. This feels like an amazing spot for a major breakthrough for the long locks of Tommy.
2: Brooks Koepka – People forget that Brooksy has four top 10s in The Open, so he’s definitely a gamer for a week like this week when power and birdies could rain down.
3: Jordan Spieth – For the first time in a while he’s coming in under the radar and this past Open champion could tear up Royal Liverpool if he’s in play enough.
4: Min Woo Lee – After notching a top 5 at the US Open he’s learning the ropes of major weeks, and his ball flight and demeanor play well in inclement conditions.
5: Denny McCarthy – Give me a good confident putter on some slow greens and you have a recipe for success. McCarthy seems like a good fit to contend.
6: Rasmus Hojgaard – One-half of the best twin duo in pro golf, Rasmus notched a recent DP World Tour win and could surprise many with his play this week.
RYP One and Done Pick: Brooks Koepka
THE DEETS
Where to watch: The Golf Channel has us covered for over half a day of live golf on Thursday and Friday, with NBA taking over on the weekend.
Why to watch: The final major of the year is a great excuse for U.S. golf fans to wake up early, get the party started, and enjoy links golf at its finest for four straight days.
What to eat: Break out the brunch menus and mimosas. I’ll hold on the haggis for now.
Purse: $16.5 million
Winner’s Share: $3 million
Golf FAQs
How do PGA Golf Majors Pools work?
In PGA Golf Majors Pools, member select six golfers to compete on a roster over the course of an event. The member with the best combined score from the six golfers wins.
Can you include all four majors into one pool?
Yes, but your commissioner can also customize these setting with RunYourPool. Pools can include up to all four majors, repicking golfers each time or adding bonus points for finishing positions
How do I assemble a roster?
Golfers are broken up in to six tiers, as members select one golfer per tier to be on their Major roster.
What happens to golfers who miss the cut?
Any PGA Player who does not make the cut will be given the highest score of Round 3 and Round 4, respectively.
What are the four golf majors?
The Masters is the first major of the season, in April. The PGA Championship and the U.S. Open follow, with the British Open ending as the final major.
How do PGA One and Dones work?
Members in a pool select one golfer to win a tournament, but can't pick that golfer again for the rest of the season. The member with the best score at the end of the season wins.
What is a PGA One and Done pool?
A PGA One-and-Done Pool is a contest similar to Survivor Pools, in which members can only select a golfer one time per season for events.
Which tournaments are played for PGA One and Dones?
Pool commissioners can set up the season for as many or as few tournaments as desired. Go crazy and do all of them! Or dial it back for the major events. As commissioner of a RunYourPool contest, you decide which events to play in!
How to run a weekly golf pool?
In order to run a golf pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like One and Done or Pick-X Pools. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.
How do golf Pick-X Pools work?
Members select a certain number of golfers per tournament, set by the pool commissioner. The member earns the total winnings that their selected golfer won for the tournament. Whichever member earns the most winnings over the duration of the season wins.
What is a golf Pick-X Pool?
A Pick-X Golf Pool calculates tournament winnings rather than strokes gained when deciding a winner. This amplifies the big name events that feature a higher prize purse.
How to run a golf pool?
How you decide to run a golf pool varies greatly depending on the game type. In each case, however, you'll want to determine the rules and settings before you begin inviting members to join you. You'll want to clearly establish how score will be kept, how tiebreakers work, and how winners are decided before anything else.
What is a prop bet?
Prop bets are any sort of pick or wager on a game that has nothing to do with the score or the final score outcome. Props can range from game types, to team types and even player types - such as who will score the game's first and last touchdowns? Other props, such as novelty or exotic, feature bets on things such as the coin flip or the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
How do Masters Prop Bets Pools work?
Pool members simply fill out a wide range of prop questions, each question worth a different value. Commissioners decide on the point value for each question, along with the amount of questions. Whichever member earns the most points based on corret answers wins the pool.
When is the Masters?
The Masters is typically in April and the first major of the golf season. The 2023 Masters is set for Thursday, April 6 and will run until Sunday, April 9.
Where is the Masters played?
The Masters is annually held at the Augusta National Golf Club located in Augusta, Georgia, USA.
